Is this much shedding normal?
How much shedding is too much shedding? What is a normal amount of hair to lose in the shower? We hear these questions thousands of times throughout our careers and unfortunately there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. However, we can certainly ease some of the anxiety you feel while you’re cleaning your drains.
The average person sheds between 50 and 100 hairs a day. If your hair is long, 50 hair strands looks like much more than someone with a pixie, so keep this in mind when you're clearing your drain. Are you only washing your hair 1-2 times a week? If your hair is dense, curly, or frequently up in a bun or ponytail the strands that you’ve shed between washing may still be inside of your hair. If that’s the case you’ll see more like 150-300 strands in your shower.
It’s important to understand the lifecycle of hair in order to know if your shedding is part of an underlying health problem. Hair lives in a cycle and each hair on your head is in a different stage of its life cycle and development. The hair cycle has three phases- anagen, catagen, and telogen. During the anagen phase hair is growing, and at any given time 90% of your hair is in it’s anagen phase growing about 1 cm per month. During the catagen phase hair ceases growth for about two weeks before it enters the telogen phase where it sheds for new growth. Approximately 2% of the hair on your head is in its telogen phase.
Telogen effluvium is when 10% or more of your hair is in it’s telogen phase. Certain things can trigger telogen effluvium- stress, surgery, anesthesia, pregnancy, and weight loss are most common. In some people, even running a fever for more than 1 day can instigate telogen effluvium. But don’t stress- Telogen effluvium is always temporary and by 6 months your hair should be back on the up & up! Noticing a lot of baby hairs on your head? You might be recovering from telogen effluvium.
Wait, did you say weight loss?
I know this may come as a shock, but sometimes when we cut calories we also cut nutrition. If you’re on a weight loss journey it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about supplementing with a multivitamin. A blood test can determine if any of your levels are low and could use compensation. Common deficiencies that cause telogen effluvium are iron, vitamin D, and biotin. Talk to your doctor before starting any new vitamin routines.
But I can see my scalp!!!
If your hair dark… and your scalp is pale… you know where I’m going with this. People have hairlines, and unfortunately for most of us they are weirdly shaped and consist mainly of shorter, thinner baby hairs (thanks genetics). We understand that every time tight, slicked back styles come back around the runways it can be frustrating to see your scalp. The good news- they make hairsprays and dry shampoos with pigments in them to both hold your new growth & baby hairs AND help cover our pasty scalps :).
Ok I hear you… but if I think I’m experiencing telogen effluvium is there ANYTHING in my control?
There are ingredients that have been known to cease the shedding process within the follicle. Some work better than others depending on the person. We carry several and your stylist or barber can recommend products to help. If you are pregnant or breast feeding you should speak to your doctor before introducing anything new to your routine. None of these products will address male patterned baldness. Bonus fact- these products also make your hair grow longer, faster so if you’re looking for length these can get you there quicker!
I’ve used products that have been speculated to cause hair loss, should I be concerned?
These products don’t cause hair loss, they prevent new hair growth. Certain products that are heavy in oils or artificial silicones can clog our hair follicles that are in the telogen phase and prevent new growth from coming in- linking them to gradual bald spots over time. The best way to prevent this is by clarifying your hair and scalp, regardless of what products you use. You should be washing your hair with a shampoo that emulsifies- even if you’re curly. How often you shampoo or clarify is between you and your stylist or barber. If you think something in your hair routine is preventing your hair from growing you should consult your stylist or barber. If you’re on a regimen to promote growth, whether length or density, clarifying is extra important because we need to the follicle to be squeaky clean in order to deposit the ingredients that stimulate them.